Is it much better in the suburbs of Chicago Illinois than it is in the city?

Answer 1

Well, it depends on what you're comparing. When I moved out to the suburbs (1992) it was quiet. Now we're constantly inundated with bass booming car stereos or south of the border polka music or screeching tires or ambulance/fire/police sirens. I live in Cook County (same as Chicago), so we pay the highest sales tax in the country (same as Chicago). Property taxes have increased, too, over time, but suburban lots are generally bigger (approx. $3,200 for 6,000 sq ft = approx. $.50/sq ft) than typical City lots (approx. $3,200 for 25 ft x 125 ft = 3,125 sq ft or approx. $1.00/sq ft) which translates to higher property tax per square foot in Chicago. Public transportation is more available in Chicago than in the suburbs, but that price is constantly increasing, too. So, pick your poison.